Our Story

Rooted in Asheville

"As a teenager, GranLloyd helped pave Liberty Road with his father's mule."

WHY IS A VACATION RENTAL BUSINESS CALLED PENLEY PRODUCE?


The Penley Family has been in the hospitality, short-term rental, long-term rental, and produce businesses in the Asheville area for over 125 years. 


Grannie Penley (aka Dora Penley) owned and operated a successful boarding house in the early 1900s. 


Her sons’ Robert and Lloyd Penley farmed the little patch of land at the corner of Liberty & Monte Vista during the Great Depression and World War II. They raised produce for family, friends, and neighbors when the majority of farmland was being utilized to support North Carolina’s international tobacco trade.  

During the 1950-1980’s, the Penley Brothers sold fruits, vegetables, and chickens to the American Enka Plant Cafeteria, Candler Super Market (owned and operated by ER Penley), S&W Cafeterias, A&P stores and most notably Bob Ingles’ stores throughout Western North Carolina.


In 1973, Lloyd Penley and his grandsons (Bobby, Ricky, Tony, Mike, Lynn) started operating under the name Penley Produce. Their slogan was simple, “We or U Pick!” … in today’s lingo:  #WeOrUPick. The Penley Produce business advantage was three-fold:

  • If it’s any fresher, it was still on the vine.
  • We were organic before there was any other way.
  • If you pick it, you pay wholesale. 

From the 1980’s to current day, GranLloyd and Grannie Laura’s daughters (Patsy, Sandra, Phyllis, and Veronica) have been active in WNC’s exploding real estate businesses:

  • Buying/Selling Residential Homes
  • Buying/Selling Commercial Real Estate
  • Short-term (farm homes, cottages, cabins, ADA-customized)
  • Long-term Rentals (farm homes, duplexes)
  • Land Lease/Telecommunications


GranLloyd lived until he was 102. Since his death, the Penley family has converted farm homes and cottages to short-term & long-term rentals. The only thing the Penley Family grows now is hay for Uncle Leonard’s brother-in-law’s cows. All of our family and friends homes that have been renovated for short-term rentals are within a bike-ride from GranLloyd’s family produce farm. 

So, that’s how it unfolded … and to this day, Penley Produce Vacation Homes lives by GranLloyd’s tried & true business motto: “Do a little more than is expected of you every day!” for our clients and neighbors. Hope you enjoy your stay, and come back soon!

Weddings, Retreats, & Family Reunions

We can accommodate a wedding party, business retreat, or family reunion from 1 to 68 people in our collection of VRBO/AirBnB homes.


They are close proximity to each other (think ... just down the road!) Heck, three house are within a 9 iron shot of each other sharing the same 10 acres of green pasture.